Written replies to questions for the inquiry of the UK House of Lords EU Energy and Environment Sub-Committee’s inquiry on ‘Brexit: agriculture’, February 8, 2017. Plus a link to watch Alan Matthews and Joseph McMahon.

The race for the first ever WTO amendment: some key facts

The race has been won, and we now have the first two amendments to the World Trade Organization agreements to take effect since the organisation was set up in 1995. The winner was on access to medicines. A month later, the rival followed — on cutting red tape at the border

The target was 110 ratifications, two thirds of the WTO’s 164 members.

Can EU law really dictate World Trade Organization rules?

This is a genuine question. I don’t know the answer. Hopefully some lawyers can help explain why the WTO and EU are trying to dodge the question of how to count the organisation’s members — December 1, 2016

Oranges: a litmus test of UK post-Brexit tariff negotiations

The UK currently charges complex import duties on oranges thanks to the EU. Will they survive Brexit? And will other countries want a say? Exploring post-Brexit tariffs: part 3More … — September 10, 2016 (last updated August 27, 2017)

How seriously should we view G20 words on resisting protectionism?

Every declaration by G20 leaders since 2012 has pledged to resist protectionism.

Their record has not matched their rhetoric — Updated September 6, 2016

Is the UK government planning dodgy ‘access’ to the EU market?

Proposed special deal with the EU on cars or banking could be illegal.

References to “access to the single market” are also misleading — the UK will have access to the EU single market after Brexit. That’s dead certain. More … — August 29, 2016

Book review: How ‘Dialogue of the Deaf’ produced a sound tool for policy-making

Book review first published on IP-Watch, October 22, 2015

“This should bury a number of myths. The memoirs of 17 key authors of a WTO agreement plus an editor’s remarks make a unique account of a complex international negotiation almost miraculously producing a deal” More … — August 26, 2016

This EU tariff takes the biscuit

Taking the biscuit. If Brexit manages to get rid of this EU monstrosity, it will indeed be an achievement. Time for the UK to act. After all, it has been complicit for decades. Exploring post-Brexit tariffs: part 2More … — August 18, 2016

Plus a really nerdy look at annex 1. The EU’s complex tariffs on these products are in its WTO commitments You have been warned … — August 18, 2016

Second bite — how simple is the UK-WTO relationship post-Brexit?

Much of the divergent opinion boils down to differing assumptions.

We can probably do better than ‘just take your pick’ because there is evidence available to assess at least some assumptions — August 17, 2016

Nothing simple about UK regaining WTO status post-Brexit

WTO amendment on access to medicines faces EU conundrum

Only three more ratifications are needed for the WTO’s first ever amendment to take effect.

Or is it … FOUR?

The World Trade Organization is finally close to achieving an amendment to its rules. Only a handful of members still need to formally accept new provisions dealing with one aspect of access to medicines.

But how many, exactly?More …— Original April 14, 2016. Updated November 30, 2016